Login
Registered users
THE PLAN 152, the first issue for 2024, opens with an editorial by Liquifer entitled “Designing beyond Earth: The Challenge of Space Architecture,” which examines a topic of great emerging interest: space exploration. This is a field that will involve designing sustainable environments according to architectural norms that address microgravity as part of a redefinition of human limitations.
In his Highlights column, Michael Webb looks at driendl*architects, focusing on the Austrian studio’s design of a residential complex on Spallartgasse, Vienna, in which architecture merges with a green urban setting. The project is a case study, an inspiration, and a replicable residential model.
The Landscape column examines Tom Lee Park in Memphis, Tennessee. Designed by Studio Gang and Scape, it combines natural elements of the Mississippi riverfront with references to the local industrial past. This redevelopment project involved land reclamation and changes to the site’s topography.
Also in the United States, NADAAA and Perkins&Will designed the headhouse to the Kendall/MIT underground station in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The design combines the headhouse with a new gateway to the MIT campus, uniting the public spaces around new MIT buildings in Kendall Square through an imposing metal structure that’s also a symbol of change.
Residenza N'Vitale, designed by CCY Architects, is in Aspen, Colorado. Characterized by minimalist lines and natural materials, this design maximizes sunlight while offering fluid spaces throughout the home for the display of sculptures and artworks.
The work of HGX Design, Hudson Valley Residence is in the Catskills, New York State. The weightless appearance of this home has been achieved through attention to the details, such as the vertical glass and wooden panels of the façade reaching higher than the internal ceilings. This design choice has the effect of dematerializing the façade, removing the impact of the roof, and giving the structure a distinct geometry.
From the United States we travel to China to examine the Beijing City Library, designed by Snøhetta. The library is intended to be a public place for learning and cultural exchange. It celebrates the city’s heritage, with its design drawing its inspiration from traditional Chinese visions of culture and nature. The square structure is covered by a ginkgo forest-shaped roof, with the columns housing integrated technology.
In Calderara di Reno, in the Italian province of Bologna, Peter Pichler Architecture has designed the new Bonfiglioli headquarters within the EVO industrial site. The unusual feature of this project is its concept, based on the creation of an intelligent architectural geometry that supports the building’s sustainability.
Featured on this issue’s cover, Luxottica’s new headquarters in Milan was designed by Park Associati. This is architecture that seeks a balance between rigor and fluidity, as can be seen on the dynamic shape of its façades. The combination of aesthetics and technological innovation is reflected in the overall design, which aims to establish new trends in its urban setting.
The Akvarelli school complex in Finland was the work of Olla Architecture. The design, inspired by the industrial history of the town of Forssa, uses traditional materials and decorative work that recall the town’s textile heritage. The complex promotes interactive and participatory education, and has become an international model of innovation.
The issue closes with Labs Tower, designed by Eraclis Papachristou Architects. This 295 ft. (90 m) tower stands out for its innovative design, which features classic elements reinvented in a contemporary style.
